Have a Hunched Upper Back? What to Know About Kyphosis Barbara Sadick Replay Video What is kyphosis? Kyphosis isn't, technically speaking, a bad thing. The term describes any outward curve of the spine, ranging anywhere from totally normal to excessive (and anything in between). While you may not have heard the term "kyphosis" before, you might've heard the less-kind nickname for serious rounding of the spine: a dowager's hump. (An outdated term you should avoid.) It's so called because many people with the condition can have a humped or hunched back. Setting appearance aside,...